Lurkers out there. Anyone else get an "informative" anonymous email?

[#1]

Am I the only one who has received a letter informing me of CPSIA? It read...

"Are Your Bows CPSIA Compliant? Do you even know anything about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act?"

No name, and the address was cpsia@yahoo.com

If you aren't planning on complying and think you won't be turned in by "friendly" competition, I think this is the perfect example that there are other sellers out there watching.

In my opinion, if this email were only friendly in nature, they would have at least included links about how to help change this crazy law, let's band forces sort of attitude.

Interesting. Anyone else?

Kelly

[ZoBeDesigns]

Chris, I'll send you some threatening emails : )

[Former_Member]

Someone on Etsy was doing this last week by convo -the thread was closed. Report it to Admin. or just ignore it.

[Former_Member]

It really ticks me off that people cannot mind their own business. How pathetic. Everyone needs to make their own decisions as regards this legislation.

[Former_Member]

jakboutique says:
I've heard it mentioned before that sellers might "turn in" their competition for non-compliance. I don't even see how that's possible. Since retailers aren't *required* to submit compliance certificates to people who buy their products (as one fabric store already stated), how could one seller know, without question, that another seller was in non-compliance? Besides the fact that there are stringent laws already on the books to make sure that children's products do not contain lead from compoents, anyway (thus there's no lead to be found), who is to say that any children's seller did not get official "testing" with a gun? Who knows, for sure, what other sellers are or are not doing? False accusations can bring charges of libel or slander, too - nothing to take lightly, either.
__________________

Whether they were right or wrong about the seller they were reporting---I don't think they're thinking about that either way. They may just want to cause a hassle for the seller in question.

[Former_Member]

"They may just want to cause a hassle for the seller in question."

________

Hassle the seller? How? To follow a law?

I am not going to be affected by this law but I still think it sucks. But if I was affected by it I would take a nice long look at my business plans for the future and decide whether or not I wanted to be an outlaw.

Whoever sent the email .... forget about it. It's not even worth straining yourself to figure out who they were or what their intent was. The point is: the law is in effect and are you going to comply with it or not?

[Former_Member]

TerraScents says:
"They may just want to cause a hassle for the seller in question."

________

Hassle the seller? How? To follow a law?

_________

Reread the comment I was responding to. The person said how did a seller know whether one was following the law or not. I responded that the seller probably didn't care to find out, that they'd report them anyway.

[NotMyTreeStore]

I would say it is hassling someone to anonymously "remind" them about the CPSIA and to make vaguely-ominous comments to the effect of "there are people watching." It's illegal to litter, too, but I'd think if I sent people "Don't throw your trash out your car window or someone might turn you in" e-mails, that might be harassment, too.

[Former_Member]

I highly doubt this law will be enforced.

[Former_Member]

Sounds like a "WARNING..." to me.

[bobbinalong]

I am really disheartened tonight. This is the second thread I have seen that is started by a shop with no items, no sales, no hearts, no nothing and contains questionable posts. Since this CPSIA subject surfaced, there has been a core of Etsy shops that has researched it, written, blogged, did media interviews, and spread the word. They have been hard working shops with all good intent on getting this issue resolved.

They haven't been spreading fear!!! And doubt!!! And they haven't been appearing just to stir the pot!!!

[Former_Member]

And the Oscar goes to.................

[Former_Member]

o.O

[Former_Member]

that's just creepy.

[eclipse]

bittybowsboutique says:
Bubbletime, it wasn't my direct email address, it was a comment/email posted through my bow website.

...
those type of comment forms usually don't verify the email before sending the comment, so they may have just used a made-up email address, rather than registering and canceling an email.
I think you can type anything in that box, even someone ELSE'S email address. Those form comment things are not reliable in terms of who sent it.

[Former_Member]

BELIEVE ME, I AM NOT TRYING TO STIR THE POT, IT IS A LEGITIMATE POST AND CONCERN!

bobbinalong, if you read my other posts, I already spoke of the fact that I do not sell on etsy. I assure you (and any others) that I am not here to stir the pot. My reason for joining here several months ago was to sell, but I have not had the time to list items. Recently I joined the forums because everyone is so helpful with ideas on who to contact, letters to write, etc. It has been a good community, and I have tried my best to be a good community member. Again, this is not a "stir the pot" type of thread, and I am not trying to spread fear. It is a fact, there are people out there who will turn your website, store, or such in if they think they can. The intent of me starting this thread was simply to see if others have received the same email, or if I was singled out. Please don't jump to conclusions without reading my previous posts.

[Former_Member]

looks like "Big Brother " is watching..

[madistreasures]

bobbinalong:

I know that I have no sales. I only have a few hearts. But it wasn't for a lack of trying. I just do better on ebay, where I have sold many of my handmade items and have 100% feedback.

I am not jumping on the band wagon or spreading hysteria. I am really concerned about this new law. I do a lot of consigning and visit my local library for toddler reading circle every Thursday so this affects me as much as it affects you.

[Former_Member]

From the nasty, petty behavior I have on a occasion witnessed on these forums, I am totally not surprised..
very sad..

[Former_Member]

caelum says:
Chris, I'll send you some threatening emails : )

***
Goody! :D

[Faeorain]

Definitely does not sound like a friendly reminder. No idea what their intentions are, but I find it interesting that " anonymous " people are so concerned whether others are going to follow the law or not...to go to the extremes to send random messages to people whom they are not even sure whether or not they are compliant.

Is this same person who is sending those messages also keeping an eye out for underaged drinking, smoking and sending out notices to teens to " beware " ? Are they sending random notices to people warning them not to break copyright? Are they chasing down every car they see that goes through a stop sign or red light, and reminding them they are breaking the law? If not, then I have to ask why not? I mean, if you are going to play watchful eye, then shouldn't you do it across the board? Breaking a law, is breaking a law right?

There has been so much talk in the forums, and now making it to the news...most people selling kids items here DO know about this law, so I don't believe people need to be sending out private messages to warn people. The few who do not know, and don't have their listings marked as tested or certified, will most likely soon find out via the flagging system.

I agree, it sounds more like an " I'm watching you " threat, rather than a friendly reminder.

[Former_Member]

Wow, that is an awful old account, OP, for having no sales.

[Former_Member]

bittybowsboutique says:
BELIEVE ME, I AM NOT TRYING TO STIR THE POT, IT IS A LEGITIMATE POST AND CONCERN!

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Then please post in your own name, and not a sock puppet account.

[Former_Member]

I mean it just seems weird, if you don't sell here as you claim, and then you come to Etsy making a thread about bitter people maybe wanting to turn you in, is all.

[Former_Member]

And if you have your own web site like you say, maybe they found you that way, so how does that correlate with people on Etsy, unless they have their own web sites, too? One bitter person who stumbled across a web site on the internet doesn't mean that Etsy is full of bitter people wanting to turn people in.

[Former_Member]

Uh-oh, somebody got PussDaddy's hackles up. Go PussDaddy, Go PussDaddy! I can't agree with you more.